2017 Annual Report Bangladesh- Marching Forward About ICC Bangladesh International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - e world business organization was founded in 1919 by a few visionary business leaders of Europe immediately aer the First World War; having its HQrs. in Paris. ICC has been promoting Free Market Economy, formulating various rules and guidelines for cross border trade and investment. ICC’s over 6 million member companies in over 130 countries have interests spanning in every sector of private enterprise. ICC works in close cooperation with national governments and multi-national institutions such as G-8/G-20, World Bank, WTO, Asian Development Bank, UNCTAD, OECD and several UN agencies for promotion, protection and development of world economy. e United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 13 December 2016 has granted Observer Status to the International Chamber of Commerce-the world’s largest business organization. e decision-taken by 193 members of the UN General Assembly during its 71st session in New York - is the rst time that a business organization has been admitted as an Observer at the UN General Assembly. Bangladesh National Committee of ICC, established in 1994, is comprised of major Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Business Associations, Stock Exchange, Banks, Non-banking Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies, Trans-national companies, Law Firms and large Corporate Houses having signicant interest in international trade. e activities of ICC Bangladesh include promotion of foreign trade and investment, trade policy reviews, business dialogues, seminars & workshops both at home and abroad on related policy issues, harmonization of trade law & rules, legal reforms, updating businesses with the ICC rules & standards for cross border business transactions. ICC Bangladesh has so far organized following regional & international conferences. • 10-11 November 2000: ICC Asia Conference on “Investment in Developing Countries: Increasing Opportunities” organized in Dhaka was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and attended by a number of high prole dignitaries including the ai Deputy Prime Minister & WTO Director General Designate, ADB President, UN-ESCAP Executive Secretary and Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation. More than 250 participants from 24 countries participated in this event. • 17-18 January 2004: International Conference on “Global Economic Governance and Challenges of Multilateralism” was held in Dhaka, coinciding with 10th Anniversary of ICC Bangladesh. e Conference was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and ai Prime Minister was the Keynote Speaker. WTO Director General, EU Commissioner for Trade, UNESCAP Executive Secretary, Governor of Japan Bank for International Cooperation, six Ministers from three continents, Bangladesh Ministers, ICC Chairman, ICC Vice Chairman, ICC Secretary General and more than 500 participants from 38 countries attended this event. • 27-28 September 2005: Regional Seminar on “Capital Market Development: Asian Experience”. e Seminar held in Dhaka was inaugurated by the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and attended by Chairmen/CEOs of securities & exchange commissions, stock exchanges, capital market operators, nancial institutions and investors from 15 Asian countries. • 13 April 2010: Conference on “Energy for Growth” was held in Dhaka coinciding with the 15 years of ICC's presence in Bangladesh. e Conference was inaugurated by the Finance Minister of Bangladesh and attended by ICC Global Chairman, Minister for Commerce of Bangladesh, Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark and Adviser to the Bangladesh Prime Minister for Energy & Mineral Resources. Some 800 delegates from home and abroad including energy experts and international nanciers from Australia, China, Denmark, India, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and USA attended the event. • 25-26 October 2014: International Conference on “Global Economic Recovery: Asian Perspective”, was in held in Dhaka coinciding with the 20 years of ICC's presence in Bangladesh. e Conference was inaugurated by the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid. Minister for Finance & Minister for Commerce of Bangladesh, UNCTAD Secretary General, Ministers from Myanmar and Nepal; ICC Vice Chairman; ICC Secretary General; ICC Research Foundation Chairman; Director of ICC National Committees and more than 500 participants attended this event. • 8-9 February 2017: e rst ever “UNESCAP Asia Pacic Business Forum: Regional Integration to Achieve Sustainable Development” was organized by ICC Bangladesh jointly with UNESCAP under the patronage of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of Bangladesh. e Forum was inaugurated by the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh H.E. Mr. Md. Abdul Hamid. Ministers from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, UNESCAP Under Secretary General, UNCTAD Secretary General, business leaders and some 600 delegates from home and abroad attended the Forum. As part of its activities, ICC Bangladesh has been organizing Workshops / Seminars on International Trade Finance, mainly for bankers of Bangladesh, in various countries since 2014. So far such events have been organized in Kuala Lumpur (April 2014); in Colombo (February 2015); in Kunming (August 2015); in Yangon (November 2015); in Hanoi (April 2016); in Jakarta (April 2017), in Vienna (May 2017) and in Bangkok (December 2017). For professional development of bankers, ICC Bangladesh also organizes Certied Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS), Certicate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees (CSDG) and Certicate of International Trade Finance (CITF) Examinations in Dhaka, conducted worldwide every year by LIBF (London Institute of Banking and Finance) and endorsed by ICC Paris. ICC Bangladesh participates in most of the World Chambers Congress & ICC World Congresses held every two years and WTO Ministerial Meetings as well as ICC Regional Consultative Group Meetings. e National Committee also arranges visit by Bangladesh Business delegation to dierent countries for promotion of trade and investment. National Secretariat International Headquarters Suvastu Tower (6th Floor), 69/1 Panthapath 33-43 Avenue President Wilson Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh, Fax: +880-2-964 1287 75116 Paris, France Tel: +880-2-964 1286, +880-2-967 66 98 Tel : + 33 1 49 532828 E-mail: [email protected] Fax : + 33 1 49 532859 Website: www.iccbangladesh.org.bd Website: www.iccwbo.org 2017 Annual Report Bangladesh- Marching Forward Under Certificate of Posting Ref. : PO-10/AC-23 6 June, 2018 NOTICE 23rd ANNUAL COUNCIL 2017 e 23rd Annual Council 2017 of ICC Bangladesh will be held at 12.00 noon on Saturday, 30 June 2018 at Golden Tulip Hotel (Level-2), Plot #84, Road #7, Block # H, Banani, Dhaka. e Agenda of the Meeting will be as follows: 1. To receive, consider and adopt the Executive Boards’ Report for the year 2017 2. To receive, consider and adopt the Audited Financial Statements of ICC Bangladesh for the year ended 31st December, 2017 together with the Auditors’ Report thereon 3. To appoint Auditor for the year 2018 and xation of remuneration thereof 4. Announcement of the New Executive Board of ICC Bangladesh for the period April, 2018 to March, 2020. All distinguished Members of ICC Bangladesh are requested to make it convenient to attend the Council. Ataur Rahman Secretary General To : All Members of ICC Bangladesh 2 Annual Report 2017 Report of the Executive Board Distinguished Members, Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah-he Wa Barakatuhu, With profound gratitude to the Almighty Allah Rabbul Al-Amin, the Most Benevolent and the Most Merciful, I have the privilege of welcoming you all at the 23rd Annual Council of ICC Bangladesh, The world business organization. On behalf of the Executive Board, I now have the honour of placing before you the Annual Report for the year 2017. This Report provides a brief review of the key economic performances of the world, regional and Bangladesh during 2017; the outlook for 2018 and the challenges. The Report also provides a summary of the main activities of ICC Bangladesh during the year. We are proud that Bangladesh has fulfilled the eligibility criteria set forth by the United Nations (UN) to be recognized as a developing country. Bangladesh will now Mahbubur Rahman be able to apply to the UN for recognition as a developing country, while the formal transition will occur on 2024. The influx of Rohingya refugees has created a pressure for The UN classifies all countries across the world under three the economy and overall security of Bangladesh. 6,000 criteria, Least Developed Countries (LDC), Developing acres of land has already been deforested by the Rohingya and Developed. camps. Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD’s)-Bangladesh’s premier think-tank estimates that the total value of 6,000 In about 47 years, Bangladesh has moved from LDC to a acres of deforested land in the Rohingya camps is Developing Country. We would like to congratulate the equivalent to Taka 741.31 crore or USD 86.67 million. people of Bangladesh, in particular the hard working Besides, there will be serious impact on the economy of the people, the private sector and of course the Government country as well as the upcoming budget. for the prudent policy implementation. The Rohingya crisis has given multi-dimensional problem Bangladesh is faced with worst man-made disaster. As of for Bangladesh. While the government of Bangladesh and February 2018, the United Nations estimates